The Ciudad Augusta Festival is set to take place on Saturday, 7 November, at the historic Temple of Diana in Mérida. The event will showcase performances by the Virgen de Sopetrán group from Jarandilla de la Vera, the Da Morgadinha theatre and folklore group from Charneca de Caparica, Portugal, founded in 1975, and the Nuestra Señora de la Antigua Folkloric Association.
Antonio Vélez, the cultural delegate, expressed the aim of creating a dedicated event for these groups, stating, “We wanted an event dedicated to them because the Nuestra Señora de La Antigua Folkloric Association is deeply intertwined with the city of Mérida.” He added that the Temple of Diana will once again serve as a stage for music, dance, and popular traditions.
The festival's poster has been handcrafted by Clemen, an artist and member of the local folklore group. The organisers hope that future editions will see performances taken to the streets of the historic centre to encourage public participation. Manuel Jaramillo explained, “Folklore should also be experienced in the street; we want the festival, in subsequent editions, to be a living event, with people in the streets, so that folklore is something we can all enjoy.”
